2007 Lincoln Town CAR: common problems

Owners of the 2007 Lincoln Town CAR filed 84 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 84
involving a crash: 19

What fails most often

1 Vehicle speed control 38% of all complaints
2 Steering 21% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
4 Air bags 14% of all complaints
5 Structure 10% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
7 Seats 5% of all complaints
8 Seat belts 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Vehicle speed control: 32 complaints (38% of all), 13 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 18 complaints (21% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 13 complaints (15% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 12 complaints (14% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 8 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 84 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

unintended acceleration13 · 15%
airbags did not deploy6 · 7%
steering or power steering problems6 · 7%
rust, corrosion5 · 6%
warning lights, check engine4 · 5%
seat belts3 · 4%
airbag warning light2 · 2%
A/C or heater2 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 2%
smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Vehicle speed control	32	13
Steering	18	2
Service brakes	13	2
Air bags	12	7
Structure	8	2
Electrical system	4	0
Seats	4	0
Seat belts	3	0
Engine	2	1
Engine and cooling	2	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0
Powertrain	2	1
Suspension	2	0
Visibility	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the driver pressed the accelerator pedal the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration, causing the vehicle's speed to suddenly increase above 65 MPH. The driver shifted the transmission to the neutral position, but the vehicle continued to increase speed.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2025-07-18 · NHTSA complaint #11674612
The brakes ceased to operate and the contact was unaware if any warning lights illuminated. The contact then forced the vehicle into park as the vehicle which caused the vehicle to make an abrupt stop. As the vehicle was in park, the vehicle then proceeded to accelerate backwards down the hill.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2020-01-08 · NHTSA complaint #11297956
The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there were no recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 81,000.
Steering · crash · 2016-10-03 · NHTSA complaint #10911127
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 319,000.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2016-04-28 · NHTSA complaint #10861956
And when I got hit my air bags didn't deploy even though my car took a huge hit to the front drivers side. I would like to find out why this didn't happen.
Air bags · crash · 2012-06-26 · NHTSA complaint #10463115
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the steering shaft. The vehicle was not repaired.
Steering · 2023-12-07 · NHTSA complaint #11558939
The window in that door also no longer responds to attempts to raise or lower it. Both my rear seat passengers had to enter using the driver's-side rear door. This creates a serious potential safety hazard by preventing rear-seat passengers exiting the vehicle near their closest door in an emergency.
Structure · 2023-05-22 · NHTSA complaint #11523266
The contact stated that while her mother-in-law was driving in a parking lot, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed without warning. Upon restarting the vehicle, the power steering started to operate as needed; however, the failure soon returned.
Steering · 2023-02-13 · NHTSA complaint #11507045

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20074
200810
20094
20109
20113
20122
20139
20148
201510
20164
20174
20182
20194
20202
20211
20223
20233
20241
20251

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,956 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town CAR has 95 complaints (35 years in the data). This year has 84, about average.

What to check before buying

Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Lincoln Town CAR?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, steering, service brakes. Total complaints: 84. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: unintended acceleration (15%), airbags did not deploy (7%), steering or power steering problems (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 Lincoln Town CAR?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2007 Lincoln Town CAR from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2007 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.